The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-09-22
Housekeeping in Martinique.
TIE HOUSES. THE THE SERVA,
THE MARKETS. CUSTOMS AND MANNERS

Pierre, Martinique, the following letter de-
scriptive of the manners and customs of the
place, written by the wife of the L. S. Consul
at that port. 1t is very interesting:
Your correspondent insists upon my inflict-
keeping Oh this island. OF course, if it inter-
ests any one twill be the ladies; but l have
misgiyings at the outset that even they will
care very little for what transpires in the
''menagc," $500 miles away, and will. when
they hear of its pecuIiaritics, care less to adopt
any of its customs. In the first place how
would they like to see their mai,!-scrvants.
cook, housemaid, and all, in fact, appearing
upon the scene at any moment, in the drawing
room or dning-rOom in untlress uniform.
What a revelation this national costume was to
me! The natives have, notwithstanding this
scantiness of clothing, the redeeming quality of
cleanliness. They are, almost without eXccp-
ton, bodily clean.
The houses are furnished to suit the climate.
Vienna brentwood and rattan being the favor
lite styles. There are some few exceptions to
this rule; when the people are so thoroughly
French. they must initiate the customs of their
mother country and fill their apartments with
upholstered easy chairs and divanS, giving the
whole most stutfy aud Inappropriate effect.
III HOOIS itIc "llilOut tACcptIoI DdIt. DtlIIS
relieved by an occasional carpet rug. Most of
the saloons and dining-roOms, or galleries. as
they are termed in Creole, are paved. Some
are very artistic in colored tiles; +; most Of them,
however, in simple red tiles about six inches
square. These floors are secured usually
TWICE A WEEK,
which, in addition to the paved courtyard, also
to undergo the same process, makes no little
occupation for one servant. and it generally
falls upon the hou>emaid. The Creoles pride
themselves upon their houdoirS and sleeping
apartments. The furniture is very elaborate.
even among people in moderate circumstances.
and it ncccSsitates a deal of labor to keep it in
Order They are very cXactiug of their house
maids in this respect. Judging from what |
have seen, should say that many hours We're
spent simply in polishing the furniture There
wants feelings in this country. The ''bonnc"
or nurse, is the only favored one of the house
hold. Her time is principally spent in prone
nadng with the children, and as Il rule these
bonne> all turn out about the same time. their
hours being from ) to II a. NJ. and again from
to I +. NJ, SO they have aS good 4 time if not
better than the children, whom they are sup
posed to be amusing. come at last to the most
important portion of the household to the
American hOusckeepcr. viz, the kitchen; but,
if by chance she should step into the Martini
ique cuisine. she would find herself lost for Il
IOIIicuJ III itS W W Hit IL Sut
In it there is not the slightest semblancc to the
term kitchen, as known in the States. In the
first place it is always detached, though not IA
great distance from the dwelling. or course
there is no stove, this being replaced by four
charcoal pots. built in sort of masonry table.
with openings beneath to receive the ashes, and
also to serve as ventilation.
THE, ONLY FIRE UTENSIL
necessary is a pair of pineers. The cooking
vessels are chiefly of brown pottery. which are
brought from France. This is one feature
which l would be glad to see introduced into
our American cuisines, as their advantage over
iron and tin vessels only can be appreciated in
the use of them. They are of all shapes and
sizes, do not burn rs readily as tin and iron,
and are easily cleaned. They are very cheap.
so that if by chance one gets broken, it is not a
great misfortune. While there are no ovens
in which to roast Il piece of meat, one of these
earthen vessels with Il slow fire beneath it will
turn out as nice roast as one need to have. or
as your correspondent would say, ''just done to
a turn. and to the queens own taste.' The
custom of washing dishes in this country am
afraid would not meet with the appreciation of
model American housewife. No warm water
is ever used, it being a theory here that one is
apt to take cold more readily after having the
hands in warm water. and for the same reason
are clothes washed also in cold water. Plenty
of soap, sand ashes, ETC.. are used for cleaning,
warm water had been used, only more time is
consumed. The dishes are never wiped. but
rnsed thoroughly and set in the sun to drain.
They are, however, scrupulously wiped before
being used for the table. 1t is all very odd and
primitive, and felt ut first an almost irresisti-
bic desire to introduce some modern methods,
but soon realized there was no use to think OF
such thing, and now have become accustonl-
ed to everything.
IT Is STRICTLY FRENCH
to serve in courses, SO even among the poorest
the same amount of ceremony is observed The
brooms made here are very peculiar. They
are made from the dry leaves of the cabbage
palm tree. They are very light, and like all
other brooms, sweep ceanest when they are
new. For scrubbing tile pavement> a stitlel
broom is used, made of the bamboo. The
cooks duty is to market and cook. Where only
one servant is employed she is even expected
to serve the table. Though cannot say adj
mire the Creole cooking generally, yet there
are many inviting dishes with which to tempt
ones appetite, Having an English servant
from Dominica have almost everything pre-
pared i 1mericaine, but even then relish
one of her Creole dishes occasionally. Some OF
these it would be even possible to duplicate in
the States, but there are others which can be
known only in the West Indies. If my friends
are pleased at the idea of reading this subject
may send later Il few good receipts. The
market is usually teeming with fine, fresh fish
and, by the way, | never imagined such beauti-
full tints could be found among the linny tribe
In fact, believe these varied colors are pecul-
lar to the fish of tropical waters. l have seen
them bright Marie Louise blue, exquisite rose
pink, striped with orange. and bright emerald
green. They seem too handsome to eat. bat
are really more delicate than the sombre->had-
ed ones. Good meats are always to be ha;l
but on the principle of the early bird, one must
be on time to get them. as great quantities arc
n
ply of fish. which is always cheaper and pre-
fcrrcd by the poorer cla>scs-the latter, of
course, predomnatiny. Meats range in prices
respectively: beef II to zoe. per pound: mutt
ton, % to 24c. pork, II to l6r.; veal. which Is
rare, the same price a> beef. and lamb the >a',c
AS mutton. The soup meat is
THE SAME PRICE
as tendcrloin roast. Chickens vary in price ar-
cortlin. to age. SPRING. believe the term Is
technical, is it not? for here it is perpetual sum
mer--Smal ones, - to Doc. apiece. TWO per-
sons could easily consume one of thcm a re-
spcctably-sizcd young chicken. enough for
four or five persons, sells for 80 to Gor and an
old one for so to soc. Vegetables of all kinds
are abundant the year round, but some of them
have special seasons, viz, green beans, butter
beans, carrots, turnipS, -umbo, squash, sweet
potatoes, eggplant and other vegetables indiS'
cnous to the soil abound the year round Sweet
potatoes, onions. hcctS and cabbagc> are sold by
the pound. Fresh eggs are abundant, but
never cheaper than lie. apiece. and frequent
ly are 1-2 to &c. They are always sold by the
egg and not by half-tlozen and dozen, rs in the
States. Milk is plentiful; very good unadult-
Grated milk at ) to &c. a quart. Butter is made
here and can be had. but homemade butter Is
extremely scarce and that have tried was of
an inferior quality. The Denmark butter,
which, by the way, we do not get here of the
first quality. sells for 60 cents per pound. 1t is
passable and might not suit palates not cultiva-
ted to the point of apprecating fresh bluegrass
butter. | have forgotten to mention the she'll
fish, which, though not numerous in variety,
are not to he sneered at.
MAGNIFICENT TURTLE,
the largest lobster, or ''homard," l have ever
seen. One we had that measured thirty-siN
inches from tip of fcelcr to tip of tail. Then
the crawfish are very large and delicious. They
are found in both the fresh and salt water.
Several varieties of hard-shel crabs, several
kinds of clans, the large ones always prepared
farc and the smaller ones eaten eau naturel.''
These latter, with the small oyster which is
found on the rocks jutting into the sea, are the
most delicate shell fish have ever eaten.
l come at last to the delicious fruits, none of
which, save the orange and banana, would be
familiar to my readers. but which trust many
of them may some day have the satisfaction of
enjoying. We are now in the midst of the
mango season, and more luscious fruit am
sure does not grow. 1t is the fruit ''par excel
lence" of the West Indies, and the one most
generally appreciated. We do not naturally like
strange things, and just is necessary to make
the acquaintance Of the malgo family before
falling in love with it. Give to Il stranger in
the states an Indifferent peach. and he will
without doubt tell you he doesn't like it, and
who does? Strangers come here and not know
ing the best varieties, taste indifferent speci-
4 AeIl ~v,.As IL,